Country house which inspired Thomas Hardy put up for sale

A country manor house which once inspired Victorian author Thomas Hardy has gone on the market for £2.35m.

The writer was friends with the former owners of Hilfield Manor and visited the property over 100 years ago.

Indeed, there is a photograph of him with his wife Florence stood in the front porch, believed to have been taken in the mid-1920s.

Hilfield Manor which is in Sherborne, Dorset, was once visited by Thomas Hardy and has been completely renovated 

The property was built by the Dampier-Bide family in the late 19th century who were friends of author and his family

The property was built by the Dampier-Bide family in the late 19th century who were friends of author and his family

Thomas Hardy, pictured, with is wife Florence outside Hilfield Manor in Dorest some time during the early 1920s

Thomas Hardy, pictured, with is wife Florence outside Hilfield Manor in Dorest some time during the early 1920s

The property has undergone an extensive renovation under the care of the current owners who have now decided to sell

The property has undergone an extensive renovation under the care of the current owners who have now decided to sell

The manor is in the Dorset village of Hermitage, which Hardy called Little Hintock in his novel The Woodlanders.

The property was built in the late 19th century by the Dampier-Bide family who were descendants of the famous British explorer and privateer William Dampier.

It was built as a hunting lodge and has a turreted tower which is its striking feature.

In more recent years it has been owned by financier Nick Tims and his wife Rachel who carried out extensive renovations on it.

They are only the third family to own the property but have now put the seven bedroom manor up for sale as they are getting divorced.

It comes with a lodge and coach house and nearly 15 acres of grounds.

Mrs Tims said: ‘We did a large amount of renovations to the property and put the castellations back on.

‘It is known as “the castle” locally.

‘It is in a very beautiful spot, surrounded by very Hardy-esque bucolic countryside. It is pitch dark at night and there is no traffic noise whatsoever.

The main kitchen features an Aga-style oven, stone and tile floors,  a breakfast bar and views out over the gardens 

The main kitchen features an Aga-style oven, stone and tile floors,  a breakfast bar and views out over the gardens 

As well as the main house, the property features a coach house with two further bedrooms, games room and a bathroom

According to Knight Frank, who are handling the sale, the house is near some excellent schools as well as a Waitrose

According to Knight Frank, who are handling the sale, the house is near some excellent schools as well as a Waitrose

‘It is a very special property and I am reluctant to be leaving.’

The main house has a drawing room, sitting room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, boot room, seven bedrooms and three bathrooms while the lodge house consists of a sitting room, dining room, kitchen, three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The coach house has two bedrooms a studio room, games room, and bathroom.

Luke Pender-Cudlip, of estate agents Knight Frank, said: ‘It is a fantastic family home and is 10 or 15 minutes from Sherborne where there is the benefit of world class schools, a Waitrose and independent traders.

‘It has outstanding rural views. The second floor has a door out to a large flat roofed area which benefits from amazing panoramic views of the beautiful West Dorset countryside, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.’

Hardy expert Tony Fincham said Hardy mentioned a William Cecil Dampier Whetham in a letter to a friend in 1919. Dampier Whetham was a fellow of Trinity College Cambridge, a scientist and an agriculturalist.

Hardy wrote: ‘This afternoon a friend called whom you may have known in past years – Dampier-Whetham, Fellow of Trinity, & writer on eugenics.

‘He is a Dorset man and breeder of Devon cows. He has a farm and dairy near here, and comes here in vacation-times.’

Dampier Whetham farmed the family estate at Hilfield St Nicholas from 1918 to 1926.

Spokesman Luke Pender-Cudlip said: ‘The second floor has a door out to a large flat roofed area which benefits from amazing panoramic views of the beautiful West Dorset countryside, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’

The main house has seven bedrooms, while the lodge house has a further three guest rooms, kitchen and bathroom

The main house has seven bedrooms, while the lodge house has a further three guest rooms, kitchen and bathroom

The house offered for £2.35 million. Owner Rachael Timms said: 'It is a very special property and I am reluctant to be leaving'

The house offered for £2.35 million. Owner Rachael Timms said: ‘It is a very special property and I am reluctant to be leaving’

 

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